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Abstract— Purpose: Cocoa is the main cash crop in Cameroon is about 76.38% (CMR, 2019). In 2015,
Cameroon, with about 30% of Gross Domestic Product of agriculture accounted for 22.3% of GDP of the economy of
agricultural produce for export and processing. Many Cameroon. According to the World Record in an article
studies depict that, despite the efforts of Cameroonian published in June 2013, agriculture was the main
producers, the quality of their production still needs occupation for nearly 60% of the active population. In
improvement. This research work was carried out in the Cameroon, agriculture is rich and varied and cocoa is one of
MEME district south-west region of Cameroon, with the the main cash crops amongst coffee, rubber, banana, cotton,
aim to assess the different agricultural practices used by tea etc. According to government statistics, cocoa beans
producers to improve the quality of their cocoa beans. accounts for about half the country’s exports earnings, with
Research method: Seventy-eight cocoa farmers were an average annual production up than 300 000 tons
chosen in that district and interviewed using structured (Business in Cameroon, 2018). Cocoa beans sales
questionnaires and personal observations if possible. contribute about 250 billion CFA francs ($426 million). The
Findings: Our survey shows that the difficulties farmers cocoa sector accounts for about 2% of the national GDP an d
face in providing better cocoa beans quality reside in the 6% of the primary GDP and about 30% of the GDP for the
financial credits; diseases and pests; the cost of inputs export and processing of agricultural products (Pierre E.A,
including spraying cost and lack of access to energy. These 2006). The cocoa sector is largely dominated by exporters
constituted 83.89% of the difficulties related to the quality of unfinished products, namely raw cocoa beans. However,
of cocoa beans in that area. Also, our findings depicted that producers are still struggling on how to improve its quality.
to ensure the quality of cocoa beans, most farmers apply The cocoa sector has drawn the attention of government
normal spraying, proper fermentation and proper drying. over the past two decades to increase production levels,
Research limitation: The lack of technical know-how in quality and foreign exchange earnings. Achieving these
good agricultural management practices, lack of input objectives has called for measures to maintain and improve
subsidies, credit facilities and insufficient electricity grid the quality of cocoa beans which is directly related to cocoa
are the obstacles that reduce the quality of cocoa beans. beans value (KWESSEU P.J.M, 2008. The national goal is
Original value: We recommend that cocoa mass spraying to produce 600,000 tons of cocoa by the year 2020
be extended to all farmers, to prevent pests and diseases (Yasmine B.D, 2018). A significant harvest of more than
effects; In addition, facilitate access to credit and increase two hundred thousand tons (200 000t): 382, 000t in the
the electricity grid; which will enable easy access to new 2016/2017 season (Yasmine B.D, 2018) suggests that the
technologies to dry cocoa beans. country is likely to meet or exceed its target. Among the
Keywords— Cameroon; Cocoa beans; Quality; reasons for the good performance of Cameroon's cocoa
Agricultural Practices. sector over the last decade are, the prudential policy reforms
of the cocoa sector, including strategic reforms, various
I. INTRODUCTION incentives, strengthening of producer supervision;
Agriculture is the main source of growth and foreign furthermore, efforts to improve the quality of cocoa beans
exchange in Cameroon (here in after known as CMR), the are equally important, for example, there is strong
contribution of agriculture to the economic growth of government involvement in export marketing and quality
Percentage of respondents
2.56%
Male
Female
97.43%
Age of respondents
14.1%
16.53%
21.45% Informal
Basic/junior
Senior high
Tertiary
57.69%
100
Percentage in experience (%)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0-10 Years Above 10 Years
No. of Years of owning land